The Confraternity
of Christian Mothers

The
purpose of this organization is to uphold the dignity and responsibility
of women as wives and mothers and to assist mothers in the Christian
formation of the minds and hearts of their children.

Next Meeting - September 2009 (Enjoy the Summer)

The
object of the Confraternity

The Confraternity of Christian Mothers has for its object
the Christian home education of children by truly Christian Mothers. It
plans to unite by the observance of its rules and regulations all Christian
ladies, married or widowed, who are willing to assist one another to attain
this noble purpose. Under the special patronage of the "Mother of
Sorrows" the members are encouraged joyously and hopefully to undertake
the important task of training and sanctifying the young souls entrusted
to their care. They are schooled to edify one another by word and deed,
to support one another by fervent prayers and thus become the mainstay
of spiritual life within their own family, and a fruitful source of blessings
to the community in which they live.

History

What strikes us particularly about the origin of the Christian
Mothers' Confraternity is that it was so spontaneous. It was not something
that was foisted upon Catholic women, but something that grew out of themselves.
It was one of those providential movements of the lay apostolate by which
the Holy Spirit so often renews the spirit of the Church or of some group
within the Church.

It was at a time, about the middle of the 19th century,
when the modern forces undermining family life first began to lift their
heads, that the Christian Mothers reacted in a spiritual and spiritualizing
movement. It was a movement of self-defense and self-preservation.

In various parts of France, and especially in Lille, mothers
began to gather to pray with and for one another, and their children,
to discuss their problems and to advise one another regarding the Christian
rearing of their children.

The movement gradually solidified, and on May 1, 1850, the
first conference of Christian Mothers was held in Lille, France, under
the leadership of Louise Josson de Bilhem, the wife of a court official.
In the course of time, the mothers sought and found recognition from the
bishop for their growing organization. Once that approval was given, the
organization grew with leaps and bounds, throughout France and the neighboring
countries, and soon over a million women were enrolled as members.

The society found its way into America at an early date,
and on the 16th of January, 1881, the Confraternity of Christian Mothers
canonically erected in St. Augustine's Church, Pittsburgh, Pa., was raised
to the rank of an Archconfraternity with the right of affiliating other
Confraternities wherever the Ordinary approved.

What is the goal of this Confraternity?

The goal of this Confraternity is not simply to unite mothers
in prayer, but also to instruct, educate and inspire mothers in performing
their duties and in practicing virtue. By Catholic instruction at regular
meetings, it strives to encourage and impress on them the importance of
motherhood and to inflame them with ardent zeal. Its aim is to show them
the way of attaining their own sanctification and that of their families
and to induce them to bring up their children as useful members of society
ensuring their temporal and especially their eternal welfare.

Who can join this Confraternity?

Any Catholic woman, married or widow, with or without children,
old and young alike are admitted to the Confraternity as long as they
intend to promote the aims of the Confraternity and comply with its statutes.
Once enrolled, you are a member for life enjoying its many benefits during
life and especially at death. The deceased members and their children
are forever recommended to the hearts, prayers and merits of their associates.

Why would I want to join this Confraternity?

There are many advantages for the woman who joins the Christian
Mothers. First, a Christian Mother is under the powerful protection and
intercession of Mary, our Mother of Sorrows, the chief patroness of the
organization, as well as other special patrons of Christian Mothers: St.
Joseph, St. John the Apostle, St. Augustine, St. Anthony, St. Aloysius,
St. Anne (the Mother of Mary), St. Elizabeth (Mary's cousin), and Saints
Gerard and Monica (the patron saints of mothers).

In return for all these benefits, a Christian Mother takes
on the obligation to recite a daily prayer for the children and to offer
a monthly Mass for the members. There is a monthly meeting which consists
of Mass, a meeting, and a talk on an appropriate topic. Often the topic
of discussion centers around the character formation of children--one
of the main purposes of the confraternity.

One of the special advantages in membership is the actual
presence of Our Divine Lord with His graces: "Where two or more are
gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them." There
are many indulgences attached to membership of this Confraternity provided
the members go to confession, receive Holy Communion and have the intention
of gaining these indulgences. A plenary indulgence is given on the day
of admission; another at the hour of death if they pronounce the holy
name of Jesus; on the principle feast of the Confraternity or its octive
and on the ten feasts named in the Confraternity's manual. There are also
many partial indulgences given to members. The most interesting advantage
of being a member is this: every single time a mother (being in the state
of grace and with good intention) instructs her children, rewards or punishes
them in the interest of Christian training and says a prayer or performs
a good work receives a remission of temporal punishment incurred by sin!
Every time she does this! How many times do mothers guide, instruct and
help their children in one day? Through this Confraternity, members could
work off all their purgatory time by doing what they do anyway!

Mothers rule the world

Mothers guide the destinies of the home and children. A
mothers' influence is felt for all time and eternity. The world will never
be better until mothers get closer to Jesus and Mary in their homes. God
is relying on mothers to step up and keep Christ alive in the world by
keeping Him alive in our hearts and homes. Through Mother Mary and her
Confraternity you can accomplish this. Are you ready to accept this challenge?